Prevention

of Forest Fires

It is better to prevent a fire than to put it out.

Every year, the Sacred Valley records a high number of forest fires. According to INDECI (National Institute of Statistics and Census of Peru), the province of Cusco suffered more than 550 forest fires in 2024, representing one of the most critical years for biodiversity and local communities. In 2024, forest fires in Peru killed 16 people, injured 140, and affected nearly 1,900 livelihoods and more than 200 homes. The environmental damage was severe, with nearly 18,000 hectares of vegetation and more than 27,000 hectares of ecosystems destroyed, in addition to the loss of thousands of wild animals. Economically, the fires caused agricultural losses exceeding US$57 million, including damaged crops, livestock, tourism, and archaeological heritage (Source: Defensoría del Pueblo, Informe Defensorial N.º 225, 2024, pp. 5–7).

Our Approach

Forestry

Training and capacity building of community forestry brigades.

Awareness

Community awareness days.

Reduce Combustibles

Ecological pruning to reduce combustible material.

Monitor

Monitoring and early warning systems in vulnerable areas.

Our Results

Valle Sagrado Verde has proven to reduce the number of forest fires in the region. Fighting fires was especially challenging in 2024, with more than 550 incidents recorded in the province of Cusco. However, thanks to our community brigades and prevention strategies, we managed to maintain zero fires in the district of Cusco and the town of Huarán. In the district of Ollantaytambo, the implementation of community brigades, ecological pruning, and constant monitoring led to a 65% reduction in fires compared to 2022 and a 12.5% reduction compared to 2023, consolidating the district as a model of success in forest risk management.